Fundcalibre has unveiled a host of new additions to its Elite Ratings and Elite Radar fund ratings including Blue Whale Growth, Allianz Strategic Bond and several funds only launched this year.
Portfolio Adviser can reveal 10 new funds gained an Elite Rating while six funds have been awarded an Elite Radar badge, which is handed to promising funds with a short track record.
“Fortunately, the global shutdown and new working from home culture has had very little impact on our research process,” said research director Juliet Schooling Latter. “If anything, the contact we have with managers has increased – especially with those that are not based in the UK.
“This means that our semi-annual investment committee meeting was extremely fruitful this summer, with new ratings for 16 funds across 10 different asset classes.”
The Allianz Strategic Bond fund, which has been making headlines during the Covid-19 crisis for its significant outperformance, is among the funds handed an Elite Rating. “The manager is not afraid to radically alter the fund if the environment changes – as he did going into the coronavirus crisis, delivering spectacular results,” Fundcalibre said of the fund.
Managed by Mike Riddell and Kacper Brzezniak, the fund has returned 28.8% over the last six months, compared to the 0.9% average in the Investment Association Sterling Strategic Bond sector. While the rest of the funds industry suffered heavily during the worst of the Covid-19 market falls in March, the Allianz Strategic Bond fund raked in £330m in net inflows.
See also: Allianz GI’s Mike Riddell assumes leadership role in fixed income reshuffle
The Schroder Sterling Corporate Bond also landed an Elite Rating and was the only other fixed income product to land either an Elite Rating or Elite Radar badge.
In the equities space, Elite Ratings were handed out to Artemis US Smaller Companies, Aubrey Global Emerging Markets Opportunity, First State Japan Focus and GQG Partners Emerging Markets Equity. The Blackrock European Absolute Alpha fund also featured.
A trio of thematic funds were also awarded the ratings, including the Jupiter Financial Opportunities fund, which this month was rebranded to reflect its repositioning over the last couple of years to focus more on fintech names alongside traditional financial services companies. The Guinness Global Innovators and Polar Biotechnology funds were also awarded Elite Ratings.
In the Elite Radar category, the Blue Whale Growth fund, managed by Stephen Yiu (pictured, left, with Peter Hargreaves), was among the funds awarded a badge, with Fundcalibre highlighting his concentrated portfolio of just 25 to 35 stocks and the fact he ignores structurally challenged industries or businesses.
Two funds that were only launched this year were also included: they are VT Downing Unique Opportunities, which was launched for veteran fund manager Rosemary Banyard in March, and Jupiter European Smaller Companies, which was launched in February for Mark Heslop, who took over from Alexander Darwall in 2019.
The LF Miton US Smaller Companies and First State Global Emerging Markets Focus funds were also handed the Elite Radar badge alongside responsible investment product Montanaro Better World.
